Background:There are currently no effective screening measures to detect early or occult tubo-ovarian cancers, resulting in late-stage detection and high mortality. This work explores whether an optical imaging catheter can detect early-stage tubo-ovarian cancers or precursor lesions where they originate in the fallopian tubes.Methods:This device collects co-registered optical coherence tomography (OCT) and autofluorescence imaging (AFI). OCT provides three-dimensional assessment of underlying tissue structures; autofluorescence imaging provides functional contrast of endogenous fluorophores. Ex vivo fallopian tubes (n = 28; n = 7 cancer patients) are imaged; we present methods for the calculation of and analyze eleven imaging biomarkers related to fluorescence, optical attenuation, and OCT texture for their potential to detect tubo-ovarian cancers and other lesions of interest.Results:We visualize folded plicae, vessel-like structures, tissue layering, hemosiderin deposits, and regions of fibrotic change. High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma appears as reduced autofluorescence paired with homogenous OCT and reduced mean optical attenuation. Specimens containing cancerous lesions demonstrate a significant increase in median autofluorescence intensity and decrease in Shannon entropy compared to specimens with no lesion. Non-cancerous specimens demonstrate an increase in optical attenuation in the fimbriae when compared to the isthmus or the ampulla.Conclusions: We conclude that this approach shows promise and merits further investigation of its diagnostic potential.
背景：目前尚无有效的筛查手段来检测早期或隐匿性输卵管卵巢癌，导致发现时多为晚期且死亡率高。本研究旨在探讨光学成像导管能否在输卵管这一起源部位检测早期输卵管卵巢癌或其前驱病变。 方法：该设备可同步采集光学相干断层扫描（OCT）与自发荧光成像（AFI）数据。OCT提供深层组织结构的三维评估，而自发荧光成像则通过内源性荧光团实现功能对比成像。本研究对离体输卵管样本（n=28，其中7例来自癌症患者）进行成像，并建立计算方法，分析了与荧光特性、光学衰减及OCT纹理相关的11种影像学生物标志物，评估其检测输卵管卵巢癌及其他目标病变的潜力。 结果：我们观察到输卵管皱襞折叠、类血管结构、组织分层、含铁血黄素沉积及纤维化改变区域。高级别浆液性卵巢癌表现为自发荧光减弱，同时伴有OCT图像均质化及平均光学衰减降低。与无病变样本相比，含癌变病灶的样本中位自发荧光强度显著升高，香农熵值显著降低。非癌变样本中，伞端的光学衰减值较峡部或壶腹部有所增加。 结论：本研究证实该成像方法具有应用前景，值得进一步探索其诊断潜力。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家